


the color of fate

by blazinraisins



Category: RWBY, orange - 高野苺 | Takano Ichigo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover, Hurt/Comfort, Volume 3 Spoilers, aka the story in which ruby tries to save pyrrha, follows canon events but ruby makes informed decisions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:14:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24593632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blazinraisins/pseuds/blazinraisins
Summary: "i don’t want you to make the same mistakes i did. so, in this letter, i’ll chronicle the events that are about to happen and the choices i want you to make."— or, ruby rose receives a letter from herself from ten years in the future.
Kudos: 10





	the color of fate

**Author's Note:**

> i've had this idea floating around for a while - and also some ideas surrounding pyrrha's death. the letter from the future is based off the anime orange but set in vol 1-3 RWBY.  
> tags will be updated as the story is updated. not sure if this is something i'll keep up but i wanted to say i tried.  
> so here's chapter one!

Petite fingers meticulously file through the various magazines presented on display in front of her, picking one out that read "Weapons" in bold white. Ruby breathed in deeply, releasing as the notes playing through her headphones pick up again. She's relaxed and perfectly content — this little shop has been her norm in the late evenings for a while now. The old man who owns the store doesn't mind her coming in and reading every few nights. He probably enjoys her company. After all, the small dust shop didn't see much traffic in the late hours.

Just as she turned to a paged outlined in gold, reading "Javelins" in small, red text on the top of the page, an envelope slipped from the spine between the pages, fluttering to the floor. She bent down to pick it up, brows furrowing upon seeing her named scrawled on its face in near identical writing to her own. Cautiously, she peeled it open. It read:

**[ To Ruby Rose,  
My Signal Academy-going self. How are you? How is Crescent Rose?  
I’m writing this letter from ten years in your future.  
If you’re wondering why I’m writing to you when you’re currently in Signal Academy  
It’s because I need you to do me a huge favor.  
I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did,  
So in this letter, I’ll chronicle the events that are about to happen  
And the choices I want you to make. ]**

Ruby paused to turn the letter over.

 **[ Tonight, you’re probably going to find yourself at Dust Till Dawn.  
After all, it’s our little tradition.  
You are going to get caught up in a robbery. Details not necessary. You kick obvious butt. ]** —

She felt a rough tug at her shoulder and immediately tucked the letter into her waistband. 

“ Huh? ” Staring at the man, she removed her headphones. “ Yes? ” 

“ I said, put your hands in the air. Now! ” 

“ Are you…robbing me? ” 

“ Yes! ” 

“ …Oh. ”

Ruby carefully contemplated her next move. The letter predicted this would happen. 

Many questions ran through Ruby's mind, but she knew she had to act quickly. She found closure in the last words she was able to read from the letter. _You kick obvious butt._ A small smile made its way to her face in confidence as she grabbed the man's arm and slung him towards the other side of the store. Another man pointed a dust-filled gun straight at her. With all the strength she could muster, she firmly planted her boots onto the man's chest and kicks off, sending him flying through the store front's glass window. 

Ruby unfolded Crescent Rose as more came running towards her. The quiet, stagnant air was pierced by the sound of Ruby firing, using the kickback to launch herself towards one of the henchmen. Her boots connected with his cheek as she swung her weapon around to land the butt end of the rifle underneath another's chin. Firing yet another round, Ruby launched herself into the air, swinging the blunt end of Crescent Rose into one's chest. Planting the scythe into the ground, Ruby twirled and launched herself one last time, kicking the last man in the stomach and landing him at the feet of his boss. 

Said boss grumbled something at the henchman, throwing his cigar down and putting it out with his cane.

“ …Well, Red, it's been an eventful evening. As much as I'd love to stick around…I'm afraid this is where we part ways. ”

He pointed his cane in her direction, the end lifting to reveal the barrel of a gun. He fired, and Ruby used the body of Crescent Rose to repel the shot, jumping in the air to avoid the explosion following. She landed and looked around to spot the criminal fleeing. She checked on the shopkeeper before pursuing him up a fire escape.

“ Hey! ” She calls after him, hoping to distract him enough for her to catch up to him. The floor begins to rumble as the sound of an engine suddenly fills the streets. The man turned around, grinning, as a bullhead rises to their level. He climbs in, shouting, “ This is the end of the line, Red! ”

Ruby took a dubious step back as he tossed something out of the airship. She looks down at it before realizing it's components, the criminal firing a shot and detonating the dust crystal. The blast was disorienting, throwing her back with force. Her ears rang and her head ached as she hit the pavement. As her vision began to distort, a body stood above her, a purple energy shield surrounding them both. 

“ You're…a huntress, ” she mumbled before losing consciousness.

• · ☽ · •

When Ruby awoke, she found herself lying in a bed in a dimly lit room. She sat up as somebody entered. A woman with blonde hair tied into a neat bun walked up to her bedside, pursing her lips.

“ I hope you realize that your actions tonight put yourself and others in danger. They will not be taken lightly, young lady. ” Ruby recognized the woman speaking as the one who protected her from the crime boss the night before.

“ But…they started it, ” Ruby argued.

“ You should be sent home, ” the woman interrupted, “ with a pat on the back…and a slap on the wrist. ” The woman slammed down her crop on the table next to Ruby’s bedside. “ There is someone else who like to meet you. But first… ” The woman reached into her back pocket. She pulled out an envelope that had been badly crinkled and dirtied and placed it on the table. “ I believe this belongs to you. I’ll be back shortly. ”

Ruby looked at her hands before looking around the room and fully taking it in. The walls were a sage green, the doorway a light oak. It looked…exactly like a Signal dormitory. Sighing, she reached for the envelope.

**[ You are also going to meet Professor Goodwitch and Professor Ozpin.  
You will be offered admission to Beacon.  
Say yes.  
Once you’re there you’re going to meet a bunch of new people.  
Not all of them will like you..  
During the ceremony, you’re going to get a glimpse at the woman who can bring down the invincible.  
Keep her close. Become her beacon.  
You won’t have a choice - _R.R._ ]**

Ten years in the future… Become her beacon… What in the world did any of that mean? Ruby's head was swirling with questions yet again. She wanted to know who wrote this letter, who knew what was going to happen in the order that they happened? The letter had predicted everything right so far. Was it some sort of future-telling semblance? …Or is it possible that the letter was actually written herself but in the future? But what mistakes could she possibly fix that her past self couldn't?

Ruby heard the door click open and scrambled to hide the letter. The woman, Professor Goodwitch, Ruby presumed, and a man with silver hair and small, circular glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose entered. 

“ Ruby Rose, ” he greeted, making his way to her bedside. He set a platter of cookies down on the table before leaning towards her face. Unsettled, Ruby leaned away.

“ Do you know who I am? ”

“ You’re Professor Ozpin. You’re the headmaster at Beacon. ”

“ Hello. ”

“ Ruby, can you tell us where you learned to do this? ” Professor Goodwitch held up a scroll with footage of her fighting the henchmen the night prior. 

“ S-Signal Academy. I want to be a huntress. ”

“ You want to slay monsters? ” Ozpin crossed his arms and shifted his weight.

“ No…I have two more years left at Signal and then I’m applying to Beacon. I’m trying to become a huntress because…” Ruby hesitated. “…Because I won’t have a choice. ”

Professor Ozpin and Goodwitch exchanged a look before Ozpin squatted to Ruby’s eye level.

“ You want to come to my school? ”

Ruby pondered the letter once more. The idea of moving ahead two years scared her endlessly. She would miss valuable lessons and training, not to mention she'd likely be the youngest huntress-in-training at Beacon. Taking a deep breath, she looked into Professor Ozpin's eyes.

“ More than anything… ”

The silver-haired man smiled. “ Well, alright then. ”


End file.
